Lawrence University student released from hospital after downtown hit-and-run crash

The Appleton Police Department released a video of a hit-and-run crash that happened Friday night in an effort to identify the driver or witnesses.
Appleton Post-Crescent

The Appleton Police Department is asking for the public's help to identify the driver of a vehicle involved in a hit-and-run crash with a pedestrian Friday night.(Photo: Courtesy of the Appleton Police Department)

APPLETON - The student injured in a downtown hit-and-run crash Friday night has been released from the hospital, a Lawrence University official said Monday.

The female student was hit shortly after 9:30 p.m. at the intersection of College Avenue and Lawe Street, according to the Appleton Police Department.

Police are still actively investigating the case, but didn't have any new information to share Monday morning.

The student, whose identity hasn't yet been made public, was in intensive care for two days and released Sunday evening, said Ken Anselment, vice president of enrollment and communications at Lawrence.

The student was walking south in the crosswalk across College Avenue when she was hit by what is believed to be an early 2000s model silver or gray Jaguar, police said.

The vehicle that hit the student was making an eastbound turn from Lawe Street to College Avenue. The driver fled east on College Avenue and then made a northbound turn onto Meade Street, police said.

A video of the crash released by police shows the student getting hit, the driver fleeing the scene and several other cars driving around the student in the street before anyone stops to help.

This isn't the first time a Lawrence student has been hit by a driver who then fled from the scene downtown.

A 33-year-old Appleton man was sentenced in late September to jail and probation for a crash involving another Lawrence student at the same intersection. The student in that case was dragged about 150 feet, and suffered a significant pelvic fracture and severe abrasions, according to a criminal complaint.

Lawrence has already been having discussions with the city about traffic safety in that area of downtown, but it's not yet clear what improvements might be made, Anselment said.

“There are conversations in progress,” he said.

Anyone with information about the most recent case is asked to call the Appleton Police Department at 920-832-5500. Those who wish to remain anonymous can use the report feature on the free Appleton Police Department phone app.